Joe Biden's Wife Spills Secrets During Oprah Taping

January 19, 2009 3:27AM

Once Barack Obama and Joe Biden take office on Tuesday, they might want to keep the Vice President-elect’s wife Jill Biden away from any top-secret files — at least until she learns to not talk about them on national TV!

Joe and his wife of 31 years were the surprise guests at a Monday afternoon taping of a special inauguration-themed episode of The Oprah Winfrey show. But the real surprise came when Jill accidentally spilled the beans about some campaign secrets.

"When Oprah asked about how Joe being the Vice President would affect their family, Jill told her that he’d actually had the choice between being VP or Secretary of State," one audience member told OK! after the taping at Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center.

According to those inside the theater, the entire audience gasped and the VP-elect himself seemed taken aback by the slip-up.

"He put his finger over his lips and made a gesure like he was shushing his wife," said one witness. "Even after the commotion subsided, he seemed a little uneasy… leaning back with his arms crossed."

Once Oprah got over the shock of Jill’s accidental statement, she was able to continue on with the interview. Taking it in stride, Mrs. Biden explained to the queen of chat that, had her husband taken the job as Secretary of State — which ultimately went to Hillary Clinton — he would have been away from the family, traveling the world all the time. Taking the VP position allowed the entire Biden family to become part of the process, she explained.

When the show took a break following the Biden’s exit, a shocked Oprah turned to the audience and kept repeating, "Oh… my… God!"

Check out the whole interview for yourself this afternoon, when the episode airs.